While Hermione's Away
by Herochick007
Summary: Severus never wanted a cat. He dislikes the creatures greatly. Of course, Hermione has a cat. A cat he's stuck watching for a few days.


**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter**

**This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

**Seasonal Challenge Autumn**

**Days of the Year: ******24th November: Evolution Day:****** Write about someone/something adapting to a new environment.**

**Writing Club October**

**Disney Challenge: characters - 1. Max Dennison - Write about a cynical person trying to disprove something/someone.**

**Amber's Attic: 8 - The Omni Parker Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts: (trait) perfectionist. Alt: (setting) hotel**

**Sophie's Shelf: 8. Orval Trappist Ale: (emotion) Unhappy**

**Fortnightly: Trick or Treat – tricks - Devil: (au) dark / alt. (color) blood red**

**Word Count: 662**

If anyone asked, he hadn't wanted a pet, and most definitely not a cat. They were sneaky creatures who seemed to appear and disappear as they pleased. They shed. They brought dead things into his chambers and left them at the foot of his bed. No, he had not wanted a cat, and most certainly not a large orange ball of fur that seemed to regard him as a threat. Unfortunately, it just so happened, that she had such a creature.

"He'll get over it," she'd said. "Just give him a bit of time, sir. He's not used to living with anyone other than me," she'd explained. Her explanation made something that resembled sense, but since when had a mangy fur ball ever made sense?

"I'll only be gone a few days, I can trust you to watch Crooks until then?" she'd asked. One look into her coffee colored eyes and he's found himself nodding. Merlin, there was absolutely no saying 'no' to her anymore was there? Not since they'd realized their connection. Not since the night they'd discovered they were soulmates. No, he would be watching the fur ball while she went out of town.

His fireplace died down leaving him and the cat alone. He glanced at Crookshanks and went back to the article he was reading. It talked about a new way to brew certain potions. He thought it was a load of rubbish, if he was being honest. However, he did owe it to the wizarding world to at least attempt this new method, if nothing more than to make absolute certain it was never taught in his classroom.

"Morons," he muttered setting up his cauldron. The potion he'd selected was an incredibly simple one, one even a first year should be able to brew. There was honestly no point in wasting good, and possibly valuable ingredients on something that would just explode in his face. The cat followed him despite his efforts to shoo it away.

"Here, stay here. You are not to enter my lab under any circumstances,"he stated putting Crookshanks on the sofa. The creature gave him a glare and started cleaning his arse. He gave the creature no second thought before entering his lab and shutting the door behind him.

"Now, where was I," he muttered wondering if he honestly had to do this. There must be another way to disprove the idea without making a mess of his cauldron, his lab, and himself in general. Not seeing one, however, he started the brew. Things seemed to work at first and he found himself nearly surprised.

"It'll blow up in the end," he reassured himself. He had just added the final ingredient and started stirring, when he heard a scratch at the door. With a great sigh, he walked over to yell at the cat for disturbing him. He was in quite a sour mood as nothing had gone wrong yet. He opened the door. Crookshanks stood in the hallway mewing loudly. He glared at the cat.

"I'm busy at the moment. Go catch a mouse or something." He moved to close the door, but Crookshanks slid in and wrapped himself around his ankles.

"Shoo, out," he muttered trying to move the cat. This proved more difficult than he'd thought, as the cat kept slinking around him. He'd nearly caught the creature when he heard a loud 'pop' and blood red smoke started billowing from his potion. His eyes widened as the cauldron started bubbling over, melting the table and anything else it touched. If he'd been standing there, his skin would have been melted just as easily. He quickly vanished the acidy mess and turned his attention to the cat.

"You might have saved me, might. Either way, I've got a pack of salmon for you as long as neither of us mention this to Hermione?" Crookshanks meowed happily and walked back into the living room now that his grumpy master was safe.


End file.
